


The Art of Not Caring

by JollyRoger



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-25
Updated: 2013-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-06 02:30:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1101317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JollyRoger/pseuds/JollyRoger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nyanko-sensei is not jealous or insecure. Nope. Never.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Art of Not Caring

**Author's Note:**

> Natsume + Tanuma is technically a background pairing here, but it still exists in this story, so I'm putting it into tags, but mostly it's about tsundere!Nyanko anyway (platonically tsundere, I mean).

Their first date starts out with nervous smiles and awkward fumbling, but then Tanuma, being the more emotionally well-adjusted one of the two - which is not a lot but still better than what Natsume has to offer - suggests to just go about their day the way they always do, and it turns out to be the best possible option. Later that night, Natsume comes back home with faintly glowing eyes, and Nyanko-sensei skips out to greet him. "Hey," he grins. "So did you do the thing?"

Natsume gives him a very long look, then kicks him very lightly with his toe, and Nyanko-sensei squeaks like a rubber toy. "What," Natsume says slowly, "do you mean by _the thing_?"

Nyanko-sensei gives out an exasperated sigh. "The thing that humans go on dates for."

Natsume picks him up and squeezes his rotund body ever so slightly while staring intently into his eyes. "How about we just drop this subject altogether?"

"Sheesh," Nyanko-sensei snorts as Natsume puts him back on the floor. "You really are just like Reiko in more than one way."

A shiver of surprise runs down Natsume's spine. Nyanko-sensei can be incredibly annoying, and the concept of tact doesn't seem to exist in his world, but the subject of his grandmother is something Natsume cannot ignore. "What is it… about Reiko-san?" he asks in a less confident voice.

Nyanko-sensei rolls over. "Nothing. She never talked about her personal life and then just went and had a kid or something, is all."

Natsume glances at the window, avoiding the cat youkai's gaze. "Are you trying to make me feel bad?"

"Me? You?" Nyanko-sensei lets out his usual arrogant chuckle. "Natsume, I'm planning to _eat_ you when it's all over. You can go ahead and marry into the Matoba clan for all I care. It's just - "

All of a sudden, Natsume pulls him closer again; this time, however, his touch is uncharacteristically gentle, and a wave of warmth washes over the cat's body. "Nyanko-sensei," he whispers into his ear in a barely audible voice. "Don't worry. This is this, and that is that."

"Now that's a succinct explanation," the youkai grumbles. "Do me a favor and bring me some fried squid from the kitchen if you're done with your romantic life for today."

Natsume simply throws his head back and laughs. “Clearly I'll never be done with _you_."


End file.
